[132.1] TABLA RASA

Zakir Hussein, without doubt the world’s most accomplished tabla player, gave a typically stylish performance at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on Monday night, accompanied by Antonia Minnecola and Taufiq Qureshi. The highlight of the concert, which featured two dance interludes, was an hour-long piece that explored every fibre and sinew of his technique, and demonstrated the claim of the tabla to be perhaps the most ravishing and also the subtlest single percussion instrument in musical history.

Hussein’s current tour has so far linked him up with two distinguished string players: with long-time collaborator Shankar, with Yo-Yo Ma (at the Brooklyn Academy of Music). He has also appeared with Remember Shakti and John McLaughlin in India and Dubai (January and February). Remember Shakti (see Anil Prasad's feauture here) return to Europe from 1 - 27 November this year. In the meantime, Zakir Hussein is back in the USA. Further detailed tour information from: moment237@aol.com

Also worth checking out is his record label, Moment, which features some of the best in contemporary world and Indian classical music.